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An Italian Tries Panda Express for the First Time 🤣
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- Published on Feb 13, 2026
- Taking Alessio to try authentic pasta for the first time because we all know pasta was invested in China. Let's see what he thinks about Panda Express and their version of tagliatelle (lo mein noodles), risotto (friend rice) and other dishes. Obviously he had to try the very famous orange chicken, but was it his favorite? And what did our fortune cookies say??
Thank you for all of your love and support! Don't forget to subscribe and turn on the bell so you never miss a new video! You can also follow us on our other socials below! Ciao for now! -Jessi and Alessio
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15 minutes of Jessi trolling Alessio! 🤣
🤣
So true, love it though, cute😊
and then Panda trolled Alessio with the fortune 😂
Exactly 😂
@ThePasinisI like their shrimp. However since I don't like overly sweet savory dishes, I would choose the chicken green beans and mushrooms. Also, let Alessio know, all panda dishes are cooked fresh. No veggies are frozen. It was my son's first job and he's 35 now, but it's still made the same today
I have to admit I get excited when I see a new video uploaded by you two.. I’m 62 years old and lost my husband a few months ago . Not a lot of things bring me happiness right now but for a little while I can think of nicer things that bring me joy and your videos. Ring me joy . I’ve been a silent viewer since you two started doing videos. You two are adorable ! Your travel videos and food reviews are excellent! I’ve been praying for you two during this fertility process and I added you to my prayer group at church. I have faith in God that he will answer your prayers.. ❤️ and btw. Orange chicken is iconic and the best !😂
Alessio I am so sorry she subjected you to this food!!! Panda Express is aweful!!
My sincere condolences on the loss of your husband. 💐 may he rest in peace.
I certainly understand your emotional pain. May you heal with grace through time.
I said a prayer tonight asking that you find one thing on Saturday that will give you some happiness. 🙏🏻
... I'm 57, and have been enjoying these lovely people for about a year now. (My condolences. My loving wife passed away last July, so I definitely feel your pain. Emptiness.) ... but it WILL get easier, in time. .. I'm praying for you, Kitty. 🙏🙌✝️🥰🥹
I love how much glee Jessi gets in trolling Alessio..."pineapple on pizza'
The best side of Panda Express has got to be the Rangoon but with Mandarin sauce
Jessi’s been roasting Alessio so hard lately, and I’m here for it!! 😅😁
Lol! Panda Express as “real
Chinese” is like saying Dominoes is “real Italian!”😂😂😂
Yeah, but Panda Express does their faux cuisine way better than Domino's.
@JohnSheehan72 To be fair, the actual owners of Panda Express ARE Chinese. They made the business decision to make Americanized Chinese food back when the authentic stuff wasn't well known. That's why even some Asians well go to Panda when there isn't much else of an option.
I love you guys! What’s wonderful couple who shine fun and happiness in your videos. ❤❤
Chinese noodles go back to 2000 BCE. They were definitely the first. In Italy, pasta was introduced to Sicily by Arab traders, but it was only in the 13th century CE that pasta became adopted widely in Italy.
However, Marco Polo didn't bring noodles/pasta from China to Italy, because he didn't finish his trip (he returned in 1295, published his account of his travels in 1300) until over 100 years after the first documentary evidence of pasta being in Sicily (the Arab geographer, al-Idrisi, in 1154, described the established tradition in Trabia, near Palermo, of making dried pasta). Chinese noodles and Italian pasta are different enough in the types of flour and the techniques used to make them, as well as being simple variations of a similar idea (flour and water mixed together), that it should be easy to understand that they were invented, and developed, independently and separately.
That’s not necessarily making any sense. Which was first?
In any case, different types of noodles or doughy shapes were developed independently. China used winter wheat. The semolina (a hard wheat) used in Italy to make pasta came from the Middle East.
Although the ancient Romans used to store wheat by milling it, creating a dough with water, rolling it flat, and drying it. It was their emergency food storage. And even though it was in much larger sheets which would be broken up for use if required, it sounds a lot like lasagne to me....
That's mostly true, but caveats are required. Pasta goes back at least 2500 years in Italy, but it came in various forms of lasagna and gnocchi. There's some evidence the Etruscans may have had something like papardelle, but it's inconclusive. We do know that thin dried noodles (pasta secca) made from durum wheat were introduced by Arab traders (~8th-9th century), who themselves go the basic idea from Chinese traders. This happened long before Marco Polo, who described the Chinese 'vermicelli' as being similar to theirs in some versions of the Travels of Marco Polo.
AD and BC*
Jessie said "Your not qualified"😂 Your video made me crave Panda Express. I know what I'm going to have for dinner 🥡
Panda Express is actually the fast-food version of it's parent restaurant, Panda Inn, which is an amazing Chinese restaurant chain with locations in Southern California. This is why it's called, "Express". I love Panda Express! But the Panda Inn is even better! That is where I first had Honey Walnut Shrimp and was blown away! So good! But I am with Jessi, Panda Express Orange Chicken is iconic and I get it every time! I'm also with Alessio as far as the fried rice, I prefer the chow mien at Panda Express. But the fried rice is MUCH better at the parent restaurant, Panda Inn.
Panda Inn Americanized their recipes after they opened to appeal to the American palette.
The Honey Walnut Shrimp is my favorite!
@tony_25or6to4 Maybe so. But their food is amazing.
Just like Americanized Italian food, Americanized Chinese food can be damned tasty!
@norwegianblue2017 Absolutely!
As a person who never tried it till about 2 months ago I was shocked that it really was very tasty and good.
We have a fortune cookie ritual where we read our fortunes aloud with the words "on the toilet" at the end. 😂
Usually our cats disperse the fortune cookies. I have found several by stepping on them.
That’s funny we always said “between the sheets”
We say at the end, between the sheets! 😂
These are hilarious... I'm doing these from now on! Thanks for the extra laughs ❤
🤣🤣🤣
For me the spicier the better. So I get the Kung Pao chicken which is already super spicy and then I add the hot mustard to it. Usually two or three packets of hot mustard. I'm not crazy about the rice so I get the lo mein.
I love the spring rolls once I went to Panada express and they were closing in half hour and they gave me all the spring roll that we left and it was about total of eight 15:47
This made me realize that I don't care what you two are doing or eating, it's always a good time!
We had Panda Express yesterday for lunch, too! I love their mushroom chicken, my daughter had the OG orange chicken. Hello from Spring Hill, TN 🥡🥢
My panda express order is always Beijing beef and orange chicken, then I'll get half and half of noodles and rice. Sometimes I just get the noodles, but it depends on my mood. Now I'm hungry lmao
Beijing Beef is The Best! Not every Panda Express cook has the special touch but those that do can make magic. It is also the freshest of all US fast foods and the only one I indulge in once every few years.
ITA. I went just yesterday and they made a fresh Bejing Beef for me. I get Orange Chicken and Black Pepper chicken or Chicken and string beans and Lo Mein. It lasts me for lunch and dinner.
@bethsnyder8376 I love making their food into two meals, it's worth the price for me when I eat like that, and it's just as good as a leftover as when it's fresh, it's like an encore but for food lol
Olive Garden of Chinese Food. 100%
Please come to San Francisco, California for real Chinese food.
Fortune cookie were first made in SF too
Well said!!!
I had the BEST Chinese food in SF. My aunt had to order in Mandarin.
(Also had some really good stuff in Europe - Amsterdam and Paris)
Just step over all the poo in the street to get there
Olive Garden of Chinese Food...LOL that's a perfect description of that delicious PANDA food. amazing good quality and cheap. 👍👍
Olive Garden is higher on the price point than Panda is
When I was 18-19, I apprenticed under a Chinese chef from Hong Kong. I was there that I learned the basics of sweet & sour sauce. Years later, in my home kitchen, I came up with my own twist on it that includes a bit of sambal oelek for spice and fresh-squeezed watermelon juice, which adds a fresh element that just lightens the whole dish.
So, no Panda Express for me.
Its so funny you call it Panda, we also only call it Panda. Its my kids' all-time favorite restaurant. I get orange chicken with fried rice and spring rolls, and my kids get the noodles with teriyaki chicken and spring rolls. They actually sell the teriyaki sauce at our local grocery store, so we have "panda chicken" at least once a week. We like to add broccoli, carrots, and fresh green beans to the chicken when we make it at home.
Your meal looked delicious. I have not had good experiences at PE but ours is run by kids that have not developed their customer experience attitude. ( some kids are excellent) Fun watching the ribbing back and forth. True love❤
I love the lo mein, sweet and sour chicken and orange chicken. I don't get to eat panda express that often because my dad hates it.
Jessi and Alessio I love your videos and eating videos
grazie mille ❤️
Alessio...this may be the loosest version of Chinese food in America...but chopsticks add a crazy amount of connection, no matter what nationality or "ethnicity " you are...we are all connected. Btw...u guys SPARKLE. not even kidding.
I admit broccoli beef with orange chicken is my go for, but I am going to try that sesame chicken next visit. I have always liked veggie egg rolls over the chicken egg rolls. Thank you for a fun vlog as always it's entertaining & helps bring a laugh with all the stress going on in the world now .....Hello 👋 Alhambra Southern California
😂 I love how Jessi sticks it to Alessio with "this amazing food"... 😂😂😂
Don't forget to add "in bed" at the end of every fortune cookie fortune.
Spicy orange chicken w "pasta" 😉
My family literally had Panda Express for dinner last night! They have a new spicier version of the orange chicken that my son tried last night and that led to a conversation about which is better - the Orange Chicken, or the Honey Sesame Chicken. Neither of us could choose because we like the Honey Sesame Chicken when we want more veggies; and the Orange Chicken is a classic and delicious with the steamed rice. We always get 1/2 steamed rice and 1/2 lo mein. As delicious as those 2 chicken entrees are, my favorite is the mushroom chicken!
Lo mein for me, theirs is Best
Sweet fire chicken is my favorite
Anyone interested in real Chinese food? Made with Lau is a great RUclips channel!
Agreed!!!
Every time I get Panda Express I get 4 servings of food in one box. The value is great👍💯
Most cultures independently developed pastas in the ancient world.
I lived in China for 3 years, and aside from the battered things like orange chicken, Panda Express is more authentic than most American Chinese restaurants.
Hi Jessi, Hi Alessio. Happy World IVF Day. You two are the first ones I thought of today. I have to agree that Panda Express isn't Chinese food. I used to get orange chicken and vegetable lo mein. The one that I used to go to was tasty. I haven't been to one in over 25 years. Thank you Jessi and Alessio for sharing🩷💙🩷💙
Sono siciliano sempre mangiando Panda express troppo buono
The traditional Chinese characters at 1:23 say "welcome" just like the sign above.
Great video! Lots of laughs.😅 Love you guys! ❤❤
Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed it! 😊
@ThePasinis Ask him if Italians took pasta and made it better is that like how Americans took pizza and made it better? More cheese and toppings = WIN :))
🛎🛎🛎google says that the Italian Wolf is that national animal of Italy.
Pasta was developed independently. There were all manner of different foods made with semolina for millennia.
My families top three are orange chicken, honey sesame chicken and string bean chicken.
That was an adorable video guys! Loved it! ❤
Thank you so much! 😊
“How to offend Chinese food and Italian food at the same time” lol had a fun time watching!
I love Panda Express. When I used to travel for business, if I could find a local PE nearby, I would usually opt for them for dinner every time!
Hi beautiful people 😍! I have not been to a Panda Express for years. My favourite order was orange chicken, green beans chicken and a vegetable egg roll. Their lo mein was my go to instead of the rice because I found the rice dry and tasteless. This is another fun video 😂
I’m in tears laughing at the definitions Jessi is throwing out there .and the pineapple comment was priceless 😊
Panda Express invented orange chicken, not the Chinese.
Everything looks delicious. My mouth is watering. What's your secret staying so thin? LOL If I ate like this is would be 200 pounds.
You guys are so adorable! Love you
You have a good store! The chow mein and orange chicken are hit or miss. Sometimes the chow mein is dry (no bueno). Many times, almost half of my orange chicken is hard. I don't know if it's grizzly bits or overcooked breading. I usually order kung pao chicken now and always veggie spring rolls. So good!
I agree about the orange chicken, many times being small and hard (no flavor). If the chicken were in bigger pieces, I would probably appreciate it more and might want to try it again.
I agree about the orange chicken, many times being small and hard (no flavor). If the chicken were in bigger pieces, I would probably appreciate it more and might want to try it again.
I sure wish our Panda looked like that one! Ours in Iowa are not looking like that......
My go-to plate is super-greens as my side, kung pao chicken and beef broccoli. Lots of greens, no rice or noodles and some tasty protein. Kung pao chicken brings some "ma la" to the plate. If I could improve my Panda Express experience, it would be to have little packs of oyster sauce like they have packs of soy sauce.
"To the Pandas" at 8:17 just made my day 😆
My fav is the sesame chicken! LOL!! I dont do spice so that’s why. But I would love the orange chicken if it wasn’t so spicy. Panda Express rocks!!!! But I do eat the rice versus the pasta. Once in a while I will do the noodles. LOL you all should eat at Panda more often lol
The sweet and sour sauce was for the ragoon.
I definitely don't like everything at Panda Express, but that's why they have a variety. My go-to entrees are the Kung Pao Chicken, the Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, or the Broccoli Beef. (Sadly we don't have the string bean chicken anymore here.) I'm not into the sweet entrees; that means no orange chicken for me. Or at least, if I do, I eat it sparingly, so I don't get overwhelmed.
I like to do half chow mein, and half super greens, for my side; I feel they elevate each other while providing more balanced nutrition.
Guys! You love this westernized Chinese food like North Americans love chicken fettuccine Alfredo!! 😂
Il fatto è che da quel che vedo questo tipo di cucina cinese occidentalizzata (o meglio, "chinese fusion" di origine californiana) sembra mille volte meglio delle schifezze proposte da Olive Garden et similia. A me personalmente la cucina americana in genere piace moltissimo (nota: in "americana" comprendo anche le varie americanizzazioni, come ad esempio italo-americana, fusion cinese, tex-mex eccetera), ma ho idea che il problema di Alessio sia più relativo alla qualità dei piatti che non alle ricette in sé e per sé (magari con qualche piccola eccezione, ma la sua è pur sempre un'opinione soggettiva). Così come esistono piatti italo-americani cucinati bene, così esistono piatti di cucina fusion cinese cucinati bene. Entrambi ugualmente blasfemi per i nativi più tradizionalisti. Saluti da Bologna, dove non sempre abbiamo in casa le tagliatelle (fresche o secche che siano) e gli "spaghetti bolognese" (spaghetti al ragù) ce li facciamo spesso anche noi 😊
Orange Chicken with Chow Mien bowl!! But yes, I need to explore more items on the menu. Now craving Panda! 😋
I agree with Alessio on how to sauce the spring rolls, but agree with Jessi that it's the best! I love those things! I think I'm going to go to Panda this weekend, or else after I pick up the grandkids from school next week. Yum!
I love your videos. You two are a wonderful couple! I know Jessi's in the hospital and awaiting the new member of your family, but I do hope these videos continue. BTW, Alessio reminds me a lot of my deceased friend and tattoo artist, Patrice. He was from France, so kind of a similar accent.
OMG I need panda express near me 🤤
See if they have it in the frozen section at your grocery store?
Ok, as a qualified PE patron, I agree with Alessio. Egg roll way better than spring roll. Non-fried entrees way better than the breaded. Steamed rice over risotto 😂.
Thanks for the lesson though! Marco - Polo.
The spring rolls would be better if the vegetables inside weren't so mushy. The vegetables must be pre-cooked then frozen which is why the filling gets so mushy. I basically like all of the entrees. 🙂
Panda Express states that they do not add MSG to their food, but their ingredients may contain naturally occurring MSG. They also use other flavor enhancers, like disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, which have similar effects. Therefore, while Panda Express doesn't add MSG, some menu items may contain it as a naturally occurring component of their ingredients or due to the use of other flavor enhancers, according to some online forums and a Panda Express ingredients list.
We use MSG at home, is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Now they actually claiming it has some health benefits because you can reduce sodium.
Nobody has reactions to it, literally and everything we eat daily.
My favorite dish was the eggplant and tofu ❤😋 But they stopped making it!! 😭
You guys should try the honey walnut sheimp next time. It's yummy. :)
I was with Panda Express in 16 years. We got a new facility. Manager was only on work five weeks when I got notified that we’re gonna have a meeting in our area with him. He notified me that in a note that we keep through your service channel that I was getting ready to be in our meeting that we had the following week he kept reminding of my age and how old I was I asked that and maybe retire but now they haven’t paid me in 3 1/2 months put a dirty mouth in my case when I try to eat Panda from this point on and how they treated me and others because the age difference is if you’re going to Panda Express we’ll see there were all younger people I believe they are age discrimination against other people and this is wrong so wrong. I have so much to give even though I’m in my height 50s I work harder than most 20-year-olds love you guys do great things. I love all on you but I wanted to give you my experience with Panda Express. They do have great food but leave a sour taste in your mouth how they treat older people. It’s so wrong to age discrimination
So sorry!😢
Should be reported to the EEOC if that’s the case. They can’t age discriminate, it’s against the law. And the fact that he actually brought up your age in some sort of discussion makes me believe that you might have a case. You might want to seek somelegal help with this.
Non è solo Panda Express, e non è solo una questione di età. L'esperienza lavorativa in qualsiasi grande catena di ristoranti in franchising è infernale. Io per esempio ho lavorato per quasi un anno come "cuoca" da Lowengrube, una catena (pur decisamente più piccola di Panda Express) di cucina tedesca in Italia. Paga da fame, zero diritti, mancato riconoscimento del lavoro straordinario, e in più accuse infondate, prepotenza, mobbing, molestie varie (nel mio caso, relativamente "leggere") e chi più ne ha più ne metta. Dato che in quel momento non avevo alternative sono dovuta rimanere lì nonostante l'ambiente orribile, poi a un tratto, senza preavviso, mi hanno telefonato e mi hanno detto che non era il caso che continuassi a venire a lavorare. Opera del nuovo manager, che era arrivato da soli due giorni. Non ho potuto denunciarli o altro per via dell'osceno contratto, che ovviamente dava ragione a loro. In base alle testimonianze di vari colleghi che lavoravano sia in quella che in altre catene, comprese McDonalds e Burger King, il mio (e il tuo) non è stato affatto un caso isolato. Questi maledetti franchising, se li conosci li eviti!
Jessie gave Alesia such a hard time! I was laughing so hard!!
I think Alessio would approve of the Chinese Long-life noodle tradition.
Great video 👍. Please tell me where you bought that dress. So adorable
the orange chicken from here is by far the best thing to get
My favorite dish is the honey walnut shrimp.
Love the Orange chicken, and really miss the sweet and sour pork they use to have about 15 years ago.
I actually really love their SUPER GREENS! I get a side of that and an order of the chow mein noodles, maybe a couple of veggie spring rolls and I'm good to go. :)
Fortune cookies are so funny
Alessio asset is a positive perspective 😂
Jessi cracking up laughing lol 😂
When you read a fortune cookie, you add "in bed" its funny
I am Chinese and while panda is nothing like real Chinese food, it’s still good food. Agree it’s better than the Olive Garden version of Italian food.
Favorite Panda is Low Mein Pasta, Chicen & String Beans and Beef & Broccli. Thats the very best.
I love the lo mein and beef and broccoli, too! Can’t resist the crab rangoon as well ♥️
I need Chinese food now
Btw, if you have left over "sweet 'n sour" sauce from McGross, it's pretty good for those egg rolls too. :)
Beijing beef or honey sesame chicken. Half noodles, half greens (just to ease my conscience a little).
Ok now I want to eat PandaExpress. Sadly i'm in Italy 😄
Jessie’s scrunched face snicker was hysterical!
#TeamJessi on the Orange Chicken for sure!
Watching this as I heat my Panda leftovers. Ate a lot of Panda too during college! Go Bruins!!!
Cute, he looked just like what a French Panda would look like.
Oh yuck 😂 I can't believe he likes it! I've tried to be a panda lover so many times and number one the chow main is the worst thing there lol and he liked it 😂😂😂😂
my go-to was orange chicken and the noodles. It's tasty, but in adulthood I don't feel so good after eating. 😅
Lots of sugar and breading in their orange chicken. I watched Iron Chef Dad take apart the chicken to make another dish and you could see how little chicken was actually in there. It is tasty though
"Ten of the ten." LOL Love it.
i don't understand honey sesame chicken. the sesame chicken from mom and pop places is dark and savory...just perfect. this sweet sesame chicken should just be named something else, it's an affront to the original.
High fructose corn syrup, maybe?😬
China have like the rest of the world NOODLES.Pasta is something to spread on the bread
Orange chicken and Beijing beef all the way😊
My family’s favourite was to take all the leftover Chinese food and throw in all into one pan and heat in on the stove. It’s really great!
I was at the edge of my seat when you were not sure what was in the box (kung pow) and then it looked like you took a big bite! Lol. I like spicy, but sheesh! Good job Jessi!
This episode should be titled "Jessi Trolls Alessio for 16 mins straight" 😂😂😂
Cute video guys lol very lighthearted and calm. Love cream cheese wontons! No crab lol
Never had Panda Express as I've only stuck to the local restaurants. But certainly does look pretty good.
ETA: can confirm the college dinner choices. My daughter, throughout her first four years of college, ate either in the dorm or off campus because the quality of the food in the cafeteria was...severely lacking as well as overpriced.
Did Alessio ever try to eat the chicken with rice or with noodles or is that asking too much? 🤣
Honey sesame chicken all the way!!!
String bean and chicken and the Kung Pao! Yum!!
Whenever you read your fortune say "under the sheets afterwards"
“What is the iconic animal in Italy?” Alessio You should have said the Dragon “Prezzemolo” from Gardaland 😉 Da friulano a friulano ci capiamo 😉
Alessio's fortune cookie message was perfect 🤌🏽😂
As an historical note: - 9th century CE, Arab cultures developed itriyya, a dried pasta made from wheat that could be stored and traded. Before that "noodles" were not made with Wheat and were not dried, like the majority of commercial pasta in Italy.... so, modern DRIED pasta comes from the middle East...Arab traders introduced itriyya to Sicily, influencing early Italian pasta-making...so the first region in Italy making pasta was SICILY.
Panda Express being referred to as the original pasta is so so funny 😂